Former clothing shop in Southend to be transformed into three units

The site has been vacant since 2019 after the Miss Selfridge store closed when the parent company entering administration.

New plans, which were approved on Friday, will convert the existing basement and ground floors into three commercial units.

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The applicants, Ellaron Ltd, also want to demolish goods lift to the rear of the first and second floors.

Two of the commercial units would become shops, with the third being a financial and professional service.

There are no further details within the plans on the shops themselves, but the agent, RD Architecture, has been contacted for comment by the Echo.

Paul Collins, councillor responsible for asset management and inward investment, said: “The smaller the retail units, the more chance of a small business starting and coming into the high street, which is good.

“It is a positive move, and something that I welcome.

“I would like to see a bit of variety in there, something a bit different to what we have already.

“But we will welcome and will support whatever the new units become.”

Miss Selfridge was part of the Arcadia Group which went into administration in late 2020.

The brand was purchased by ASOS in 2021 and now operates exclusively online.

Previous plans were granted planning permission in July 2021, which would have seen the ground floor commercial space turned into two shops, with an extension to the roof to create up to nine flats. However, these plans never went ahead.

Matt Dent, Labour councillor for Kursaal ward, said: “Any businesses coming to the high street is always a welcome thing.

“I look forward to seeing what the businesses are, and what they will bring to Southend and the city centre.”

The commercial units’ proposed opening hours are 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, and 9am to 5pm on Sundays.

The financial and professional services would be open 9am to 6pm.